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Neighborhood children watch as activists past during a rally in Chicago’s South Side for Trayvon Martin in addition to ending gun violence in the city July 15, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Gibby/Getty Images)Experts say that a new FDA-approved screening tool for ADHD might lead to more accurate diagnoses of children ages 6 to 17 and help reduce overmedication — if used as intended as just one measure among many and if followed with proper treatment.

However, the iffy parts of the brain-wave test has raised concerns, given the history and disparities of many African-Americans diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Parents and educators also worry about the stigmatization of rambunctious, but misunderstood, schoolchildren who are sent for screening unnecessarily and don’t have ADHD.

“Even with futuristic tools and test, there will always need to be clinically-focused diagnoses,” said Rahn K. Bailey, M.D., president of the National Medical Association and chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved marketing of the device last week as just one component of a comprehensive medical and psychological examination, said Christy Foreman, director of the Office of Device Evaluation at the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

“The device requires that the clinician do an evaluation first,” added

Peter Como, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist in the same FDA office. It could help confirm the evaluation, they said, or help the clinician determine that more assessment is needed.

A Welcome Addition?

Dr. Bailey said medical professionals would welcome an additional method to help them diagnose patients more accurately and quickly. “This one does sound encouraging.”

Shane Perrault, Ph.D., a psychologist in Washington, D.C., who has ADHD and specializes in treating it, agrees. “I think generally it’s helpful,” Perrault said of the brain-wave test. “Is it more helpful than the paper and pen method? Maybe; maybe not.”

“Diagnosing ADHD is only part of the battle,” he added. “What kind of treatment do you put together for the patient?”

And that’s what concerns Karran Harper Royal of New Orleans, who became an educational advocate for other parents after dealing with ADHD in her family.

“I know what a hot market ADHD can be, and I worry about exploitation, especially in communities of color,” Royal said. “My concerns are that we know our children don’t often receive the same amount of treatment as their white counterparts, and I worry that doctors will rely too heavily on this new device rather than a full comprehensive assessment and evaluation.”

“At a time when we have to fight the stigma of mental health diagnoses and fight for treatment when a proper diagnosis is made, we do not need to complicate the diagnosing of ADHD by trivializing the screening process.”

Negative Consequences

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, 5.4 million children have ADHD with twice as many boys diagnosed than girls. The percentage of children whose parents said they had been diagnosed with the neurobehavioral disorder jumped 22 percent between 2003 and 2007.

While the prevalence is racially comparable, CHADD reports, black children are less likely to receive treatment but more likely to suffer negative consequences at school. This can include punitive placement in special education, disciplinary actions and disproportionate referrals for medical evaluation, said Leslie T. Fenwick, Ph.D., a renowned policy expert and dean of the School of Education at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Fenwick, a former kindergarten through 12th-grade teacher, attributes some of these consequences to “under-prepared, under-credentialed and sometimes overwhelmed teachers.”

“Effective teachers tend to have fewer students acting out in their classes,” Fenwick explained, “because they have effective teaching practices.”

Fenwick said the clinical study for the device should have included more than the 275 children studied and had more diversity.

Como said the study met the FDA’s standards and was “fairly well geographically distributed” over 13 testing sites. “In order to be on market, the sponsor had to conduct a pretty rigorous clinical study,” he added.

Seventy-three percent of the 275 children studied were white, and 27 percent were non-white, including 46 African-Americans (17 percent). Yet, black children are diagnosed at nearly the same rate according to 2004-2006 CDC statistics.

In the study, boys accounted for 64 percent of the children studied, with girls making up 36 percent. The average age of the children studied was 10 years old.

How the Device Works

The study was sponsored by NEBA Health, which is based in Augusta, Ga., and developed the Neuropsychiatric EEG-Based Assessment Aid (NEBA) System.

The NEBA System is a non-invasive test that lasts 15 to 20 minutes. It’s based on electroencephalogram (EEG) technology and involves the placement of electrodes and gel on a child’s head. “There’s no risk other than the need to wash your hair afterwards,” Como said.

The test calculates the ratio of the brain’s theta and beta waves, which is higher in children and adolescents with ADHD, according to NEBA and the FDA.

“Without adequate sampling of African-American children in the study population, how do we know that this statement is true of African-American children with ADHD?” Fenwick asked. The accuracy rate for African-American children in the study was 85 percent compared to 90 percent for whites.

Foreman said that the NEBA system “could help with reducing the amount of prescribed medication,” but cautioned that the FDA didn’t have supporting data.

The CDC notes that 66 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD are on medication, a notion that sends chills up the spines of some parents.

“Some people need medication, and some don’t,” Dr. Bailey says reassuringly. “Unrealistic fears block people from treatment.” However, he advocates second opinions if parents aren’t comfortable with their child’s diagnosis and treatment.

Diagnosing ADHD

“The first thing that people have to be aware of is the normative criteria,” Dr. Bailey says. All five of the following must be present to begin establishing a diagnosis of ADHD and should be confirmed before using the brain-wave test:

The patient must have at least one of the behavioral symptoms of ADHD — hyperactivity, inattention or impulsiveness

“Symptoms must have existed prior to age seven,” Dr. Bailey says. “It’s a neurobiological disorder. It starts early. It doesn’t just show up later based on a stressor in life.”

The individual has “functional impairment,” such as being retained in a grade or having difficulty keeping a job.

“There must be difficulty in more than one domain in life — home and school for a child; home and work for an adult.” If problems exist in just one environment, it could be a “psycho-social problem between individuals.” This might include Fenwick’s example of a gifted but rambunctious boy and a teacher who doesn’t know how to challenge him intellectually.

“It cannot be due to a medical problem,” Dr. Bailey explains. “It’s got to stand on its own feet.”

The important thing, Dr. Perrault says, is “what does the diagnosis mean?”

He then zeroes in on a child’s strengths to really tailor treatment and maximize his or her gifts.

In addition to appropriate medical treatment, a creative child might benefit from music lessons or art classes while a linguistically gifted child could learn a new language. The energy of a physically active child might be channeled into sports. “There’s a reason they have all that energy,” Dr. Perrault points out.

He also cited the example of a famous rapper who might have avoided dealing drugs and the ensuing legal issues if he had been properly diagnosed as a child and mentored by an entrepreneur or music producer. “I think ADHD is the entrepreneur gene,” he says.

The bottom line, he adds, is that “treatment should play to the strength of who you are.”

The ADHD Action List

Trust your gut. To ease your mind about signs and symptoms and try an interactive checklistbased on the American Psychiatric Association’s test, and talk to your pediatrician.

Join a support group. You can also find one in your area through CHADD.

Work with your school to set up an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for your child.

Consider tutors outside class and during the summer.

Keep in mind that just because there are laws in place, your school might not know how to implement them. Many parents have had to educate educators. Karran Harper Royal said that she even drafted some of the plans that were implemented in New Orleans.

New York, NY, February 15, 2013 – Published three years after Haiti’s catastrophic earthquake, an event that plays a pivotal role in Josh Farrar’s latest book, A Song for Bijou (Walker Books/Bloomsbury) is a touching, inspiring chronicle of young love in the multicultural setting of a contemporary middle school. Minus today’s reality-show hype, this effervescent story acts as an excellent tool for parents and teachers alike to help kids determine right from wrong as they come of age in our diverse, increasingly complex society. Josh Farrar has written a story of middle-school first crushes in which a white boy from Brooklyn and a Haitian girl who has recently survived that country’s devastating earthquake struggle mightily to spend time together in a social environment that seems determined to keep them apart. Despite the seriousness of its themes, the book is a fun, breezy read punctuated by scenes of celebratory music and dancing. A Song for Bijou heartwarmingly depicts the efforts of a multicultural group of friends in Brooklyn, New York to understand the mysteries of the opposite sex, and the complexities of the world they live in. Told in alternating viewpoints against the vibrant backdrop of Haitian-American culture, the author’s lead characters, Alex Schrader and Bijou Doucet, take their first tender steps toward love in this affecting story. Life for Alex has never involved girls. Attending an all-boys prep school, most of his time is spent clowning around with his friends. But that all changes the first time he sets eyes on Bijou, a beautiful Haitian girl who relocated to Brooklyn after the earthquake, and he is determined to win her heart. Bijou, on the other hand, is surprised daily by how different life is in America. After Alex asks her out, he quickly learns there are rules when it comes to girls, both in Haitian culture and with his own friends. And Bijou discovers she doesn’t have to let go of her roots to find joy in her new life. A Song for Bijou is a realistic depiction of a group of regular, good kids negotiating the complex business of growing up. The second novel by author Josh Farrar, it has been praised as an “…enjoyable, seriocomic tale of new love, culture clash, adolescent social stratification and friendship…a solid, timely effort,” by Kirkus Reviews. Farrar’s first book, Rules to Rock By, was called by School Library Journal a “spirited, never-say-die story about a girl and her dream…Farrar’s first novel hits home about tween life, especially among the creative set, and for anyone who has ever been bullied.” Surviving puberty has never been easy, but the infringement of technology––YouTube, Twitter, and a phone in the hand of nearly every child – has made the navigation of adolescence positively baffling. Devoid of sex, drugs, or profanity, Farrar’s new book is a welcome breath of fresh air: a moving tale of friendships, first love, and the issues of growing up in a different culture. Josh Farrar understands kids. Whether writing fiction or designing educational software for companies such as LeapFrog and Scholastic, his goal is to give children the tools to become better readers, and maybe, better people. Music plays a prominent role in Farrar’s books. The author has played in bands, composed music for plays and films and, when he’s not reading or writing, he can usually be found with a stringed instrument in his hands. He is a strong believer in the combined power of literature and music to powerfully affect children’s lives, and promotional events for A Song for Bijou will feature performances by a cast of West Indian musicians. A graduate of Wesleyan University, Josh lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York. For more information on this talented writer, please visit: www.farrarbooks.com. Available at fine bookstores, online or at author’s website A Song for Bijou by Josh Farrar Publisher: Walker Books ISBN-10: 0802733948 ISBN-13: 978-0802733948 Release Date: February 12, 2013

Nashville /PRNewswire/ — Thomas Nelson, a world leading Christian publisher, is preparing to release a new Bible that will provide African-American women with an inspiring new tool to help bring their Sunday morning experience into their everyday lives. The Sisters in Faith Holy Bible: Encouraging and Empowering African-American Women with God’s Truth ($39.99, ISBN 9781401675158) is expected to address the concerns of today’s Christian women who are seeking God’s wisdom and guidance in every area of their busy and complex lives. The Bible will be available everywhere January 1, 2013.

This beautifully designed Bible will have a unique African-American perspective, thanks to executive editors Michele Clark Jenkins and Stephanie Perry Moore. Michele and Stephanie are the co-founders of Sisters in Faith, an entity established to create meaningful products that encourage and empower African-American women with God’s truth.

“African-American women have a different history and a different presence from any other demographic,” said Jenkins. “Their history is characterized by strength in the face of instability; making a-way out of no-way and self-definition in the face of a lost identity. Most are looking to cut a new path. The Sisters in Faith Bible is designed to speak directly to the specific needs of this group of women.”

“African-American women have long suffered and long loved the Lord in such a way that being Christian and being an African-American woman is synonymous,” adds Moore. “But very few Christian products reveal the African-American woman’s voice to the body of Christ and almost none have been created to speak directly to her in a way that relates to her life and her struggle.”

Jenkins is the Senior Director of the Public Policy Consulting Group for Griffin & Strong, P.C. and also specializes in entertainment contracts and business development. She is the author of numerous faith-based books and co-editor of several Bible projects. Moore has also served as co-editor for several Bible projects and is the author of over fifty young adult, inspirational fiction books and four adult titles.

Together, they have gathered twelve women to contribute to this project. Joann Rosario Condrey, a recording artist, worship leader and ordained evangelist; Helen Delaney, co-pastor at Liberty Church in Marietta, Georgia; Vanessa Davis Griggs, a motivational speaker and author of more than thirteen novels; Keren Heath, a writer, entrepreneur and worship leader; Tiffani-MiShelle Johnson, a poet, actor, screenwriter and director; Jennifer Keitt, author, host of Today’s Black Woman radio show, and founder of Zakar magazine and the Jennifer Keitt Life Institute for Women; Jamell Meeks, Director of Women’s Ministries for the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago; Brenda Noel, an award-winning freelance publishing professional and partner in ECHO Creative Media; Dawn Sherill, M. Div., co-founder and partner in ECHO Creative Media; Kim Cash Tate, an author, attorney and co-founder of the nonprofit ministry, Colored in Christ; Karen Waddles, Assistant to the Publisher of Moody Publishers, the publishing arm of Moody Bible Institute; and Lakeba Hibbler Williams, a licensed counselor, speaker, trainer, and educator.

Thomas Nelson, Inc., part of the HarperCollins Christian Publishing division, is a world leading provider of Christian content, and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. The Company publishes and provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, cookbooks and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN with additional offices in Plano, TX. For additional information, please visit www.thomasnelsoncorporate.com.